sanford harmony | teacher handbook changing...
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www.sanfordharmony.org
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© 2015 Sanford Education Center.
SANFORD HARMONY | TEACHER HANDBOOK
Changing the WorldOne Classroom at a Time...
Sanford Harmony is the childhood
interpersonal skills development program
that builds more inclusive and connected
classrooms by helping each child understand
and appreciate the diversity in others.
By teaching essential relationship building skills, Sanford Harmony helps children feel more comfortable and connected in their classrooms, leading to a positive teaching environment that promotes improved academic performance and a love of lifelong learning.
A free of cost program offered by the nonprofit Sanford Education Center, Sanford Harmony:
• Targets students in grades Pre-K through 6th.
• Provides a flexible program that teachers caneasily integrate into their classrooms.
• Uses age-appropriate lessons and activities.
• Teaches children essential communication andrelationship building skills.
• Supports improved academic performance.
• Helps to reduce stereotyping, teasing,harassment, and bullying.
Sanford Harmony is currently being implemented in thousands of elementary schools throughout the U.S.
www.sanfordharmony.org43SANFORD HARMONY
I LOVElearning
I amCONFIDENT
“Sanford Harmony is transforming the lives of children in classrooms each and every day, creating the foundations of a healthier, more collaborative society.”
T. Denny Sanford
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Table of Contents
Program Introduction 4
Getting Started 36
Teaching Materials & Tools 26
Lessons & Activities 20
Everyday Practices 10
Denny Photo
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“I’ve been involved with many different philanthropic causes, and few have been as satisfying as seeing the way Sanford Harmony brings people together on so many levels, from universities to schools, teachers and parents.
At the center of it all are the students, who are learning to communicate, work together and respect each other in new ways that foster greater academic achievement and connection to school. The skills they develop will have a lasting impact into adulthood, and that’s what this program is ultimately about – helping to create a better tomorrow.
Sanford Harmony supports the great work being done by the education and nonprofit sectors, providing opportunities to touch even more children’s lives and creating a legacy for future generations. We’re turning a dream of mine into a reality, and you’re going to take it forward and change the world.”
T. Denny SanfordEntrepreneur and Philanthropist
Build healthyrelationships. Helps to reduce stereotyping, teasing, harassment and bullying.
Resolve conflict. Develop positive conflict resolution strategies that will last a lifetime.
Communicate. Learn relationship skills that promote self-confidence and respect.
Connect. Develop an increased sense of connection with their peers.
Embrace diversity. Learn to appreciate similarities and differences.
Cooperate. Work cooperatively and collaboratively with others.
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Now imagine all this can take place in your classroom in as little as 15 minutes a day – using tools and materials that align with Common Core strategies and easily integrate with your schedule and curriculum.
Welcome to Sanford Harmony, the socio-emotional program that builds stronger classroom relationships so you can spend less time managing troublesome classroom behavior and more time teaching!
The Sanford Harmony Program: Changing the World One Classroom at a Time...Imagine a classroom where students are empowered to:
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A Vision is Born
Entrepreneur and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford has always had a passion for inspiring others to create positive change in the world. As he looked around at a society rife with domestic abuse, divorce, bullying and interpersonal conflict, he dreamed of changing the world by improving long-term relationships among adults through a teaching and learning program created for young children. His vision resulted in Sanford Harmony, an innovative relationship-building program designed to strengthen understanding and communication between all children in order to minimize future conflicts among adults.
Vision Becomes Reality
Launched in 2008, Sanford Harmony is being implemented in thousands of classrooms throughout the U.S. with very promising results. The program provides teachers with a set of tools to develop stronger social connections among students, and fosters positive peer relationships that will enable students to thrive at school and at home. The goal is to create inclusive classroom communities, where teaching and learning become the number one priorities versus using valuable time to resolve personality or conflict issues among students.
Bringing out the Best In Teachers and Students
Sanford Harmony was developed and researched by educators at the Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University (ASU). Lead researchers Dr. Rick Fabes and Dr. Carol Martin sought to identify practical methods for reducing relational conflicts in the classroom while increasing student confidence, relationship skills and academic excellence.
Incorporating best practices developed through their research, they created a program to achieve these goals by teaching understanding and empathy through classroom discussions, stories, activities and lessons. The National University Sanford Education Center was selected in 2014 to disseminate Sanford Harmony in elementary schools throughout the United States. Made possible through the generous support of T. Denny Sanford, the Center’s mission is to create positive societal change through Sanford Harmony, Sanford Inspire and the Sanford Philanthropy Program.
“I’m very excited about empowering people to follow their passions to make a greater impact on society.”
T. Denny Sanford
“The skills children develop through Sanford Harmony will have a lasting impact into adulthood, and that’s what this program is ultimately about – building a better tomorrow.”
T. Denny Sanford
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Improving Academic Achievement
By breaking down barriers to relationships, Sanford Harmony enables students to connect and collaborate with others at much deeper levels. Children feel more comfortable and connected in their classrooms, leading to a more effective teaching environment that promotes more harmonious interactions and a love of lifelong learning. Most important, Sanford Harmony provides a tool for managing your classroom more effectively, allowing you to focus on what you love best – inspiring your students in their pursuit of academic achievement.
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Designed with Teachers in Mind
Sanford Harmony was created by dedicated education professionals who share your passion for making a difference in the lives of children.
They designed the program to leverage your skills and training as a teacher and make it easy to introduce Sanford Harmony into your classroom. The program is easy to understand and implement, and integrates with established classroom routines and activities.
Sanford Harmony
• Is designed for pre-kindergarten through 6th-grade classrooms.
• Uses age-appropriate lessons and activities for each grade level.
• Employs familiar strategies like “morning meetings and circle time”.
• Provides all lessons, activities and storybooks at no cost to your school.
• Easily integrates with and supports Common Core state standards.
• Can be implemented in as little as 5 to 15 minutes a day.
• Offers ample training and support materials, including online videos.
• Supports improved academic achievement.
• Helps decrease stereotyping, bullying, and aggression in the classroom.
What Can You Expect from Sanford Harmony?
One of the biggest roadblocks to establishing a harmonious classroom community is the time spent on conflict resolution and managing discipline issues.
“Sanford Harmony provides immediate payback; we’re going to see children change on a daily basis.”
T. Denny Sanford
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By teaching empathy, understanding, and communication skills, the program helps children learn to resolve many of their conflicts without needing continual guidance, thereby freeing up valuable time you can devote to teaching.
By helping children develop better relationship skills, Sanford Harmony:
• Reduces conflict and problematic behavior in the classroom
• Promotes harmonious relationships so the focus is on academic achievement
• Allows teachers to teach and students to learn
Launching Sanford Harmony in Your Classroom
This booklet should provide all you need to know about the lessons, exercises and educational materials to successfully introduce the program into your classroom. However, a full complement of additional support materials are available to address any questions you may have about the program. Please refer to Section II in this booklet for a list of these materials.
Let’s get started!
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Everyday Practices
Buddy Up
Meet Up
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Everyday Practices
Sanford Harmony is built around two core strategies that support relationship building in the classroom – Meet Up and Buddy Up.
Designed to build relationships and foster positive peer interactions, the Everyday Practices provide students with opportunities to interact with peers and participate in conversations and problem solving about issues related to your classroom community. Fun and easy to implement, Meet Up and Buddy Up teach your students essential relationship building skills that will last a lifetime.
“We piloted Harmony in our three State Pre-School classrooms this past spring, and the feedback from all of the teachers was very positive! We are very excited to be implementing Harmony again in the upcoming school year.”
Stacey Adler, Ph.D.Mono County Superintendent of Schools
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Meet UpMeet Up is an easy, effective tool for building positive peer interactions to develop a more cohesive and inclusive learning community. Students meet daily to talk about how they will treat each other, share ideas and experiences, solve problems, and celebrate friendships. Then, the entire classroom meets to negotiate and set goals to guide discussions by the whole group. In about 15 minutes a day, Meet Up helps you build a classroom where all students feel connected, comfortable and motivated to learn.
Meet Up allows students to learn and practice important social and problem solving skills, including:
• Comfortably sharing information with peers
• Expressing ideas
• Asking respectful, relevant questions
• Listening and respectfully responding
• Considering others’ feelings
• Using social problem-solving skills
• Identifying consequences for behaviors
Your Role In Meet UpAs the teacher, your role involves a combination of moderator, observer, role model, and facilitator. During Meet Up, your focus should be on:
• Facilitating inclusive relationships
• Improving interactions among students
• Encouraging students to listen and share
• Making thoughtful suggestions
• Redirecting conversations
• Providing consistency to problem solving
• Reinforcing Sanford Harmony goals
“Sanford Harmony has enhanced our curriculum by giving the children new tools to interact with one another. They are expressing themselves with words instead of being reactive to the situation.”
Robyn Bowman, PreSchool ManagerLakeside Union School District
Meet Up
Establish 3 to 5 Harmony goals for how students will treat each other. For example: “Everyone is important in our class.” Write the goals on a chart and refer to them during Meet Up and throughout the day.
Begin each Meet Up with a fun, interactive greeting. For example, have students say hello to their neighbors, give each other a high-five, or all sing a song.
Select a couple of students students to share a personal experience, achievement or special belonging story. Have them call on 2 to 3 peers to ask questions.
Choose 1 or 2 students to share a “high” and “low” experience related to the classroom community. Discuss how these relate to the classroom goals, and problem-solve as a group.
Close the Meet Up with a fun routine that encourages community building. See the Community Builder QC cards for good ideas related to this step.
01 Set Goals
02 Welcome
03 Share
04 CommunityCheck-in
05 QuickConnection
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In the beginning, your biggest challenge will likely be helping students transition from telling you their ideas, stories and personal information to telling and listening to each other. So you may need to be more directive to help with this transition. As your students get better at using the Meet Up skills, you can move to a more facilitative role.
To help facilitate successful Meet Up sessions, Sanford Harmony provides Quick Connection (QC) Cards – Quick Conversations, Quick Collaborations and Quick Community Builders – that provide students with opportunities to share, think, collaborate and have fun together.
Getting StartedSuccessful Meet Ups can be accomplished in five easy steps:
“We’ve observed an instant transition of our youngest children demonstrating problem solving and empathy.”
Elementary School Teacher
When: Daily
Where: Meet Up Circle
Duration: 5 to 15 minutes
Objective: Promote a sense of connection and inclusion among students Ev
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At first, you might find that Meet Up takes more than 15 minutes. As your daily Meet Up becomes a regular routine, you’ll find it runs more smoothly and quickly. Students will need time to adjust to trying out new strategies.
Setting goals lays the foundation for the entire Meet Up process. (The Sanford Harmony “Meet Up, Buddy Up: Every Day Practices” booklet offers many good ideas on how to guide the conversation with your students during the goal-setting process.) As you implement Meet Up in your classroom, be sure to refer back to the goals regularly to ensure that student behaviors continually align with them.
Successful Meet Up Tips• Choose a consistent time to meet each day.
• Focus classroom goals on positive behaviors.
• Monitor the goals on a regular basis.
• Celebrate accomplishments!
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Buddy UpBuddy Up is a peer buddy system that creates opportunities for students to get to know one another, form connections, and learn together with all their classmates. It provides a fun environment for bringing together diverse students who otherwise might not interact with each other on a regular basis. By pairing students with a different peer each week, this strategy enhances connection, shared motivation, and social responsibility toward each other.
Designed to foster an environment where all students feel connected, comfortable and part of an inclusive classroom community, Buddy Up teaches students how to:
• Share information about themselves
• Listen to and show interest in others
• Collaborate with diverse peers
• Empathize with others’ feelings
• Demonstrate self-control
• Confidently express ideas and feelings
• Disagree respectfully
• Demonstrate caring and kindness
• Comfortably interact with peers
Your Role in Buddy UpAs with Meet Up, your role in Buddy Up will involve using many different skills – including that of moderator, observer, and facilitator – to foster an attitude of acceptance, inclusion and caring. Your role will focus on:
“The Quick Connection Cards were used as classtime activities and for the students to take home to discuss with their parents and families.”
David Lorden, Ed.D
TeachingTools
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“The children are getting to know other children in their class by being ‘buddies’ with a different child. Not only are they learning to accept children that are different than themselves, they are also learning empathy for one another.”
Preschool Director
• Bringing peers together
• Expressing enthusiasm about new Buddy pairs
• Facilitating friendships
• Planning activities
• Encouraging interactions
• Creating opportunities
The underlying goal is to establish Buddy Up as natural part of the school experience by ensuring that Buddy Up activities are woven seamlessly throughout the day. In doing so, you reinforce the idea that interacting with peers is valuable and expected rather than a departure from normal activities.
Buddy Up also uses the Quick Conversation and Quick Collaboration cards to support relationship building. The Conversation cards provide discussion questions that facilitate students getting to know each other and explore concepts related to peer relationships. The Collaboration cards promote joint problem solving and cooperation.
Additional Buddy Up ToolsTo help organize and manage your Buddy Up sessions, you may want to create the following tools:
Buddy Grid. Allows you to plan buddy pairs and easily track which students have already been paired.
Buddy Board. Helps to organize and display weekly buddy pairs. Post the board in a prominent place in your classroom to remind students of their weekly buddy.
Buddy Up
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Getting StartedSome students may feel uncomfortable at the idea of interacting with peers they don’t know. To get Buddy Up off to a good start, it helps to “frame” the idea by explaining why it’s important and how your students will benefit from the experience. It also helps to address any concerns by discussing possible student reactions, such as excitement or anxiety.
Once you’ve set the stage, Buddy Up can be implemented in two simple steps:
Use the Quick Connection card activities to help buddies get to know each other, communicate and have fun. Feel free to come up with additional activities of your own, as long as they support the guideline of working together towards a common goal and fostering interaction. For example, have buddies solve a puzzle or work on a classroom assignment or art project together.
Use the Buddy Board to assign and track buddy pairs. Pairing students with less frequent playmates may help them develop broader, more flexible social skills. However, you may want to start out by pairing students who are more familiar with or compatible with each other to help ease any initial fears.
Assign Weekly Buddies
Facilitate Buddy Up Activities
“It has definitely been a plus to add Sanford Harmony to our existing curriculum. The lessons are going to give the children ideas and conflict solving solutions in their everyday lives as they grow up.”
Preschool Manager
When: 4-5 times per week
Where: Classroom or homeroom
Duration: 2 to 45 minutes depending on the activity
Objective: Promote ongoing interaction between diverse peers.
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Buddy Up will reflect your style and personality as a teacher, as well as the interests, developmental level and learning goals of your students. Your primary role is to facilitate the activities and conversations so that student behaviors align with the classroom goals and learning objectives. You also want to help students get comfortable interacting with each other and to have fun while doing it. Keep in mind that consistency – daily Meet Ups and Buddy Ups – is the key to success!
For more good ideas on making Buddy Up a success in your classroom, please refer to the Meet Up, Buddy Up: Everyday Practices booklet.
Successful Buddy Up Tips• Share your excitement.
• Keep activities simple.
• Provide plenty of support.
• If necessary, use buddy “triads” so that no student is left out.
“When the Buddy Up song comes on, my children are so excited.”
First Grade Teacher
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Lessons & Activities
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Lessons and ActivitiesIntroducing Meet Up and Buddy Up into your classroom will produce immediate and lasting results in terms of building a connected, inclusive classroom where children are motivated to learn. To reinforce and augment your Meet Up and Buddy Up experiences, Sanford Harmony offers a variety of classroom lessons and activities designed to teach relationship skills that students apply as they participate in daily school tasks.
These developmentally appropriate lessons are easy to integrate into your daily curriculum, and include a variety of games, discussions and support materials to enhance your students’ abilities to successfully learn, work, and play together.
These lessons, when used
in tandem with the everyday
practices of Meet Up and
Buddy Up, create a positive and proactive learning environment that improves
peer relationships and helps
reduce incidents of bullying
and other inappropriate
classroom behaviors.
Empathy &Critical Thinking
Helps students develop empathy
and flexible thinking skills while reducing
stereotyping.
Diversity & Inclusion
Promotes inclusive classrooms; teaches
students to appreciate similarities and
differences in others.
“Sanford Harmony has taken a step-by-step approach to building a strong foundation and wrapped it up in a beautiful package. All the lessons are so easy to follow and implement that I was able to advantageously use my time to build academics.”
Cathy Georgianna, Kindergarten TeacherCooper City Elementary School
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Peer Relationships
Provides opportunities for
students to form and maintain meaningful
friendships.
Problem Solving
Develops constructive strategies for
resolving conflict and working cooperatively
with others.
Communication
Builds positive communication skills
that promote comfort, self-confidence,
and respect.
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Age-Appropriate Activities, for Pre-K...Each of the five themes, or units, has a specific set of lessons and activities you can use to teach the underlying concepts and skills. Although the themes are the same for all grades, the activities and lessons are designed to be age-appropriate for each grade level.
At the pre-K and kindergarten level, the lessons and activities include:
Diversity and Inclusion
• Getting to know each other
• Discovering commonalities
• Learning from diversity
• Building community
Empathy and Critical Thinking
• Recognizing, predicting explaining feelings
• Explaining feelings
• Having empathy
• Understanding stereotypes about people
• Understanding stereotypes about people, activities and roles
Communication
• Listening to others
• Responding to others
• Being assertive
Problem Solving
• Identifying problems
• Solving problems
• Cooperating
• Recognizing how behaviors affect others
Peer Relationships
• Caring for others
• Being inclusive
• Apologizing and forgiving
• Reflecting and connecting
Some lessons and activities can be used during Meet Up and Buddy Up, while others require more time. As the teacher, you decide when, where and how to use them in a manner that meets the needs of your classroom.
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Diversity and Inclusion
• Who we are
• The things we have in common
• Learning something new
• Classroom identity
Empathy and Critical Thinking
• Thought bubbles
• Walking in someone else’s shoes
• To change like a caterpillar
• Thinking outside the box
• Critical thinking in practice
Communication
• Name that communication blooper
• The communicator
• Communication in the media
• Collaboration in action
Problem Solving
• Watch and learn
• Name that conflict style
• Step it up
• Practice makes perfect
Peer Relationships
• What makes a friend
• I’ve got your back
• Talk it out
• Battle the bullies
...Through 6th GradeCompare these to the following 6th grade lessons and activities, which reflect the older children’s higher-level conceptual and relationship building capabilities.
To learn more about the lessons and activities for your specific grade level, please refer to the appropriate Sanford Harmony teacher binder. These binders explain the lessons and activities in detail, and provide useful ideas for implementing them in your classroom.
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Teaching Materials& Tools
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Teaching Materials and ToolsSanford Harmony offers a variety of professionally produced materials to help you successfully implement the program in your classroom. These include video training modules – customized for each grade level – that provide an overview of the program, as well as teaching tips for Meet Up, Buddy Up, and all five core themes of the program.
Meet Up, Buddy Up Everyday Practices Booklet
As you have learned, Meet Up and Buddy Up form the core strategies of the Sanford Harmony Program. Accordingly, the Meet Up, Buddy Up: Everyday Practices booklet will serve as one of your most important reference guides. It is especially helpful when first introducing the program to your classroom.
This easy-to-read booklet outlines the goals and objectives for Meet Up and Buddy Up, and also covers:
The Role of Teachers & Staff
Implementation Steps
Getting Started
Frequently Asked Questions
The booklet offers strategies for helping students share their Meet Up and Buddy Up experiences with other key adults in their lives. It also includes links to the Sanford Harmony website that contain sample letters for encouraging home-school and within-school connections.
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Sanford Harmony ToolkitThis toolkit includes:
• One Meet Up Buddy Up: Everyday Practices guidebook
• One set of grade-specific lessons
• Five books that focus on the program’s core themes (Pre-K – 2nd)
• Five books that focus on the program’s core themes (3rd – 6th)
• Online instructional videos for each grade level
• One set of Quick Connection cards
StorybooksA lovable, sometimes clueless alien cartoon character from another planet, Z provides an important tool for introducing Sanford Harmony to young children in a fun, friendly, and non-threatening manner. Z serves as the central character in five books that cover each of the program’s basic themes, and helps introduce relationship-building concepts in a way young children can understand and relate to.
The story begins with Z getting stranded on Earth. Once here, Z meets a group of young children, and together they share a series of adventures that provide a foundation for exploring key relationship concepts and solving problems.
Storybooks include ideas for guided teacher discussions that engage students in helping Z solve problems and learn about friendship concepts. These allow children to identify with Z’s emotions and ideas and relate the concepts to their own experiences in the classroom.
Storybooks are available in hard copy (free of charge), contact the Sanford Education Center for more information.
“I found my students asking for more stories with ‘Z’ as they looked forward to Z’s adventures with Earthly friends. I noticed the way in which the students interacted with each other began to change throughout the units.”
Kindergarten Teacher
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Quick Connection CardsUsed during Meet Up and Buddy Up, age-specific Quick Connection (QC) cards provide students with opportunities to share, think, collaborate and have fun together. There are three different types of cards, each of which can be used for discussion, physical activities and mini projects.
Quick Community Builders. Designed to be used during Meet Up, these cards provide fun ways to promote a whole-group sense of connection.
Quick Conversations. These cards suggest topics of conversations to help students get to know one another and explore concepts related to peer experiences. For example, a card might ask, “When you are feeling sad, what do you do to feel better?”
Quick Collaborations. These cards suggest activities to promote joint problem solving and cooperation, such as buddies joining together to write and illustrate a silly story.
Teacher GuideSanford Harmony provides a Teacher Guide for the Lessons and Activities, as well as an Everyday Practices Booklet, for teachers in grades Pre-K – 2nd and 3rd – 6th. These books walk you step-by-step through each of the five themes and provide practical suggestions for introducing the strategies and lessons into your classroom. They also discuss:
Sanford Harmony Lessons Binders Available for grade levels pre-K through 6th, the Teacher Guides include all of the lesson plans for each of the five units in hard copy or downloadable formats.
Goals Learning Objectives
Home-School Connections
Key Concepts& Vocabulary
Research& Relevance
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Putting It All TogetherOnce you familiarize yourself with Sanford Harmony and the accompanying materials, you will find that introducing the program into your classroom is fun and easy. The program employs many of the skills and techniques you already use with your students; it just puts them together into a structured format that helps to improve peer-to-peer relationships and drive higher academic performance.
The following sample activity from the 1st grade Lessons Guidebook paints a picture of what Harmony looks like in the classroom. Please refer to the online video modules at www.sanfordharmony.com for more ideas on using the lessons and activities in your classroom.
Goals for this exercise include:
• Foster awareness that emotions have external and internal cues, and can vary in intensity.
• Promote recognition of own and others’ emotional intensity.
Learning objectives include:
• Understanding that emotions have internal and external cues.
• Recognizing basic emotions based on physical and verbal cues.
Key concepts include:
• Emotions can change the way our bodies look and sound on the outside and feel on the inside.
• People can have weak or strong emotions, and show them differently.
Overview Unit 2: Empathy & Critical Thinking
Activity: Recognizing Feelings
Read & Discuss: The Bouncy Ball
Explore & Practice: Feeling Thermometers
Communication
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The exercise consists of three parts:
Read and Discuss: The Bouncy Ball. Children read a short story about a child who experiences many different emotions, then discuss how emotions can change how you look, sound and feel.
Explore and Practice: Feeling Thermometers. Children discuss the different ways emotions are experienced and expressed, then compare their own emotional reactions to various scenarios.
Reflect and Connect: Feeling Figures. Children illustrate and write about how they feel, look, and sound when they experience emotions.
Set the StageBefore the reading, talk about feelings you have had throughout the day, using physical descriptions when possible. Then encourage children to share, compare, and contrast the feelings they have experienced today.
Next, discuss how feelings are important to think about and that we experience them all the time. Explain that the story talks about a child having all different kinds of emotions, and have your students think about how their feelings have changed today. Ask children to pay attention to how the child in the story looks, sounds, and feels when he has different emotions.
For example, you might say, “Emotions are feelings, such
as happiness or sadness or anger, that happen when you
react to something. Emotions can change the way that you
look and sound on the outside and how you feel on the
inside of your body. Everyone has many emotions, all day
long, but people can react to the same things differently or
can show their feelings in different ways.”
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Read and DiscussDuring and after the reading from the The Bouncy Ball, discuss the physical sensations and changes associated with emotional reactions. Questions might include:
• What are emotions? (How you react to things, feelings that change your body and your mood)
• Did Gabriel really mean that he was having a great start to his day? What clues showed how he really felt? (Frowned, slammed the door, grumbled)
• When Gabriel’s dad offered to drive him to the park so he wouldn’t be late, what changes happened to his body? (Breath exhaled, body relaxed, mouth smiled)
• How can taking deep breaths be helpful when you are having strong emotions? (Calms you down, relaxes your body, helps you focus)
• What feelings did Gabriel experience before he left for school? (Anger, frustration, surprise, nervousness, relief, happiness, excitement)
Discuss some of the many feelings experienced and expressed by Gabriel throughout the story. You may wish to revisit and briefly summarize the events on each page of the book, asking children to raise their hand each time they notice that Gabriel’s feelings have changed.
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Wrap It UpDiscuss how understanding the ways that emotions can change your body can help you understand your own feelings and figure out how others might be feeling.
• What are some ways that emotions or feelings can change how we look or sound?
• What are some ways that emotions or feelings can change how our bodies feel on the inside?
• What can you do to help you figure out how someone else is feeling?
• How can understanding one another’s emotions help you get along with others?
This example represents just one of the many Sanford Harmony lessons and activities that provide the tools you need to create an inclusive, connected classroom. It is part of a comprehensive program designed to help your students develop the communication and relationship skills they need to succeed in school and life. Sanford Harmony provides a rich curriculum of age-appropriate lessons and activities for grades pre-K through 6th. You can preview many of these lessons by watching our teacher training videos at www.sanfordharmony.org.
“I am very pleased to have found Sanford Harmony. The demands placed on moving students forward do not allow much time to implement the life skills that are the culture of our schools – the socialization, the acceptance and diversity of all people. It was a lifesaver finding everything I could have wanted neatly capsuled in your kit.”
Cathy Georgianna, Kindergarten TeacherCooper City Elementary School
Designed for flexibility, Sanford Harmony allows you to introduce the materials, lessons and activities in a way that meets the unique needs of your students and your classroom.
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Adapting Sanford Harmony to Fit Your ClassroomThe lessons and activities for each grade level are flexible, easy to do, and take a minimal amount of time. Most can be implemented during Meet Up and Buddy Up. Others can fit into your daily routine at other times during the day.
You can use the program materials as little or as much as you want. You decide which everyday practices and lessons best fit your students and your daily schedule. You can even mix in your own activities that are suitable for your classroom.
Consistency is the key to success. Practice Meet Up and Buddy Up on a daily basis and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish. Even if you only use the program for 15 minutes once or twice a week, it can produce significant positive changes in your classroom.
By now you should have enough information to begin introducing the program into your classroom. If you have any questions, the next section identifies where to get them answered and access additional support.
“Sanford Harmony is the mostcomprehensive program I haveseen in a very long time. I will be teaching small groups of Pre-K to 4th grade students next year, and I am looking forward to continuing the implementation.”
Donna Lamb, Guidance AssistantOceanside Beach Elementary School
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Getting Started
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Getting StartedA harmonious, more inclusive classroom is only a phone call away! Contact the Sanford Education Center today to arrange a consultation with a Harmony Ambassador. During the consultation, your Ambassador will:
• Review the program with you and invite your school to participate.
• Ask you to sign a Memo of Understanding with National University.
Additional resources available from Sanford Harmony include assistance in:
• Developing an implementation plan for your classroom/school.
• Scheduling coaching sessions with you and other teachers.
• Setting a date to conduct your first Meet Ups and Buddy Ups.
Your Partner In SuccessFormer teachers, principals, and administrators with real-world classroom experience, Sanford Harmony Ambassadors are committed to changing the world one classroom at a time. Your Ambassador will act as the key liaison between the program and your school, providing training, materials and ongoing feedback and support to ensure a successful implementation in your classroom.
“I am honored to be a part of a program that is building relationships and making a positive impact on students all over the world.”
Chelsea Ramet, Partnership Liaison
“Building relationships with people and students from all walks of life through Sanford Harmony is a wonderful opportunity.”
Hassina Lor, Ambassador
Ready to bring Sanford Harmony
into your classroom?
Contact the Sanford Education Center at
844.480.4500
“Of all my philanthropic endeavors, few have been as satisfying as seeing the way Sanford Harmony brings people together on so many levels – from universities to schools, teachers and parents – to change the lives to young students.”
T. Denny Sanford
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We’re All in This TogetherWe share your passion for teaching children the communication, problem solving and relationship skills they need to succeed in life. We encourage you to share your experiences with the Sanford Harmony community as a whole, so that we can all benefit from them.
• Contact us with questions. Our #1 goal is to help you succeed with Sanford Harmony. Call us any time you have questions or concerns about the program.
• Invite us into your classroom. On-site visits allow our Ambassadors to provide feedback about how to get the best results in your classroom.
• Share your best practices. Teachers are our greatest source of information for improving the program. If something works well in your classroom, please share your experiences with us so we can learn from other teachers and make your best practices available to everyone.
• Access the videos. The online video modules offer a wonderful source of inspiration and ideas for teaching the program in your classroom.
• Visit our website for program updates. Visit www.sanfordharmony.org to keep up on the latest in program news, events and new ideas.
Start changingthe world today!Contact Sanford Harmony:
www.sanfordharmony.org
844.480.4500
SANFORD HARMONY
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Sanford Harmony cost?
There is no cost to teachers, schools, districts or participating universities. The program is primarily funded by philanthropist
and donor T. Denny Sanford, with support from National University.
Does the entire school need to implement the Sanford Harmony?
While it is advantageous to use Harmony strategies and activities school-wide, you may also wish to implement by grade levels.
I have a large class and my day is already full. How do I find the time to use Sanford Harmony in my classroom?
You can implement the program in as little as 5 to 15 minutes a day. Your Sanford Harmony Ambassador can help you
develop strategies for integrating the program into your schedule and your classroom needs.
Is the Sanford Harmony an anti-bully program?
Harmony is designed to build healthy relationships among all students. To prevent bullying, we must support building
healthy relationships by engaging in activities to promote understanding and respect. Students who know and appreciate one
another are more likely to refrain from teasing and bullying.
The school year is halfway over – can I still start Sanford Harmony in my classroom?
Yes! An Ambassador can guide you through the best way to implement the program at any time during the school year.
Does Sanford Harmony training count towards my professional development credits?
Consult your school district for further information.
How do I ensure that our parents and families understand why we have chosen to implement the Sanford Harmony?
Teacher binders provide home-school communication letters and tips to share Harmony program goals, as well as unit themes
and activities. We’ve found that parents are thrilled that Harmony focuses on building supportive and respectful relationships
and helps to prevent teasing, bullying, and disruptive classroom behavior.
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How do we become trained to implement the Sanford Harmony?
There are several avenues to training. Some teachers get started using our “How-To” book, while others prefer
the online-video modules on our website. In addition, many schools opt for face-to-face training with our team of
Harmony Ambassadors, who are experienced educators.
How can we get started with the Sanford Harmony right away?
Contact a Harmony Ambassador or Program Liaison at 844.480.4500, or email [email protected].
We’ll guide you through the process by providing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed by your
administrator or district office administration, and the number of kits you’ll need for each grade level. As soon as we
receive your signed MOU, we’ll order your materials.
Is Sanford Harmony appropriate for after-school programs?
Yes! Many schools and organizations have chosen Sanford Harmony for their after school program, as it builds
teamwork, friendships, and positive communication outside of the regular school day.
I would like to use the Sanford Harmony with my special education students. What are your thoughts?
The Meet Up and Buddy Up strategies and lessons and activities are wonderful for building inclusive classroom
relationships. They can be adapted for use with all students.
My 6th grade students have no previous experience with Sanford Harmony. Is it too late to introduce the program to my classroom?
No. While the ideal situation would be to start at pre-K or
kindergarten, the program is designed so that students can
quickly grasp the concepts and benefit from the lessons and
activities at every grade level.
SANFORD HARMONY
I haveBIG IDEAS I AM
accepted
I amHAPPY
Sanford Harmony is the childhood
interpersonal skills development program
that builds more inclusive and connected
classrooms by helping each child understand
and appreciate the diversity in others.
By teaching essential relationship building skills, Sanford Harmony helps children feel more comfortable and connected in their classrooms, leading to a positive teaching environment that promotes improved academic performance and a love of lifelong learning.
A free of cost program offered by the nonprofit Sanford Education Center, Sanford Harmony:
• Targets students in grades Pre-K through 6th.
• Provides a flexible program that teachers caneasily integrate into their classrooms.
• Uses age-appropriate lessons and activities.
• Teaches children essential communication andrelationship building skills.
• Supports improved academic performance.
• Helps to reduce stereotyping, teasing,harassment, and bullying.
Sanford Harmony is currently being implemented in thousands of elementary schools throughout the U.S.
www.sanfordharmony.org43SANFORD HARMONY
I LOVElearning
I amCONFIDENT
“Sanford Harmony is transforming the lives of children in classrooms each and every day, creating the foundations of a healthier, more collaborative society.”
T. Denny Sanford
Pass it OnShare your passion for Sanford Harmony!
Tear off this leaflet and give it to another teacher or school administrator.
Together we can make a difference.
Contact Sanford Harmony Today:
www.sanfordharmony.org
www.sanfordharmony.org
844.480.4500
844.480.4500
© 2015 Sanford Education Center.
SANFORD HARMONY | TEACHER HANDBOOK
Changing the WorldOne Classroom at a Time...